What was your old school like?

The first part was built in 1927 and then extensions were added in the 1970s. In recent years it wasn’t fit for purpose; it had no disabled access, and it leaked. The new building is bright and airy and we’ve got large corridors, excellent social spaces, first rate IT facilities and a theatre!

What has the feedback from the staff and pupils been like?

Overwhelmingly supportive. Some pupils don’t even think it looks like a school. Others say it’s just like the school in the film “High School Musical”; they were really impressed!  They also say they like the way it’s easy to find your way around. The pupils are very happy with the external areas like the pitches and the general seating areas. The amphitheatre has also gone down well and I was personally impressed by the quality of the finish and the materials used.

We had some concerns from the staff in the practical subjects about the size of the classrooms, but all the rooms were built to the sizes on the agreed drawings.

Did you have much involvement in the planning stages?

I’ve been involved for five or six years now, indeed before even any lines were drawn on paper. During the main stages of construction, the council put in additional funding to take away my teaching commitments. This had a big impact and meant I could spend time doing site visits and liaising with all departments, something  I couldn’t have done if I had been teaching as well. 

How was the construction process?

I had a tremendous working relationship with David Gray and Martin Boyle from Morgan Ashurst. We had fortnightly visits to the site and also sometimes brought along pupils too.

How have the day to day operations gone so far?

Spie Matthew Hall are doing well and the building operates well. There are a few minor issues but  nothing that is going to stop us working. People still notify me if there are problems, rather than going straight to the contractor. People’s expectations are much higher now. In the old school we were muddling through in a 1929 building where we often had problems. Now when the staff have been used to having 100% functionality, they are disappointed when it goes down to 95%.

Can the local community use the facilities?

Yes. This aspect is run through the local authority’s letting service. The local community is very happy to have the school here. There had been a suggestion to move the school to a brown-field site and build flats here but the local residents started a petition to keep it.

What advice would you give to someone else who’s embarking on this process?

Stand your ground and fight your corner at all times. Every party comes with their own agenda, but you will be the end user so you have to speak up for yourself. It is unusual for the public sector to think of itself as the client and this has taken a while to get used to. To help us in this regard the Council organised a seminar to assist in changing our mindset.

When you are asked about PFI, what is your response?

The choice for us was either to sit in a dilapidated building or not. I don’t think the political arguments for or against PFI really matter. The issue is, do you want your children in a school that’s fit for purpose or don’t you?